An inspirational getaway

Klamath Lake

After two months of hunkering down at my art desk, I relished the idea of getting out of town and retreating to Oregon's natural wonders.  I needed a boost of inspiration, and the beautiful mountainous landscape is always the perfect remedy. 

Toketee Falls and North Umpqua River

On our way to southern Oregon, we decided to take a scenic route known for its picturesque waterfalls.  We stopped at a few sites, including Toketee Falls shown above.  In the Chinook Indian language, "toketee" means graceful or pretty- an appropriate name indeed. 

Skull Cave at Lava Beds National Monument

There was one day my husband allotted as a "surprise."  When we crossed the Oregon-California border, the girls and I became increasingly curious about our adventure to come.  About 15 minutes from our destination, my husband revealed that we were going spelunking!  I love the fact that the girls squealed in excitement when they found out that we were going to explore caves. 

It was a first for all of us, and the day trip will go down as one of our favorite family adventures.  We hiked, climbed, and even crawled through rocky crevices. 

pictographs in Symbol Bridge Cave

One of my highlights was seeing these pictographs in a cave.  These ancient markings were made by Native Americans who were most likely on spiritual quests when venturing to this cave.  It's amazing to me that markings made by man hundreds -or possibly thousands- of years ago are not too different from illustrated designs today.  Can you see the dotted pattern along the edge of the rock in the left photo?  Reminds me of something I would do . . .  a compelling experience for sure.